A Los Angeles police officer was charged with murder, drunken driving and other charges in connection with a fiery wreck on the 605 Freeway last September near Whittier that killed a Riverside family of three, authorities announced Friday.

The car carrying Mario Davila, 60, Maribel Davila, 52, and their 19-year-old son, Oscar Davila, became engulfed in flames following the crash. They could not escape the vehicle, and died at the scene.

The officer, Edgar Verduzco, 27, of Santa Ana, was injured in the three-car crash along with Berly Alvarado, 32, of Wilmington who was driving the other car he hit. The CHP said Alvarado’s 1-year-old son was not injured.

Verduzco, who was arrested in Long Beach on Friday, appeared in a Los Angeles court later in the day to be arraigned on three counts of murder, three counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, one count of driving under the influence causing injury and one count of driving with a 0.08 percent blood-alcohol content causing injury.

But the arraignment was continued to May 16, according to Greg Risling, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. He said Verduzco faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of all the charges.Expla

Explaining why Verduzco was charged with murder instead of lesser charges, Risling said that Verduzco’s training and experiences as an officer made him aware of the dangers of reckless driving and driving under the influence.

The case stems from the Sept. 26, 2017 crash on the southbound 605 Freeway, south of Saragosa Street, in the unincorporated community of West Whittier.

CHP officers alleged that Verduzco was drunk and speeding in the carpool lane when his 2016 Chevy Camaro rear-ended a Nissan in the No. 1 lane. The Nissan crashed into the center divider and burst into flames.

The Camaro then collided with a Scion driven by Alvarado in the No. 2 lane.

The Nissan’s driver, Maribel Davila, her husband, Mario, and their son, Oscar, were trapped in the burning car.

Coroner’s spokesman Ed Winter said Oscar Davila died of blunt force injuries. There is no confirmed cause of death for Maribel and Mario Davila yet pending additional tests and closure by the coroner, according to Winter.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck believed Verduzco was on his day off when the crash happened.

The CHP arrested Verduzo after the crash but released him from custody two days later pending further investigation. The LAPD placed him on administrative leave last year.

A statement released by the LAPD on Friday said the department has “placed Verduzco on relieved of duty status.” Officer Drake Madison, an LAPD spokesman, said Verduzco is still with the department but is not being paid.

Verduzco doesn’t have any prior DUI convictions in Los Angeles and Orange counties, according to court records.

At the time of the crash, he had been with the LAPD for two years and worked the front desk at Central Division in downtown Los Angeles. Before he joined the department, Verduzco served in the U.S. Army for almost four years.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving said it was heartbroken that three innocent people were killed by an alleged drunk driver who also is an officer.

“MADD is appalled anytime someone is arrested for driving impaired, especially a law enforcement officer who has sworn to protect our community and enforce laws,” according to a statement from the organization.

Verduzco is being held at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles on a bail of $6.1 million.

Ruby Gonzales started working for the company in 1991. Since then she has written about cities, school districts, crimes, cold cases, courts, the San Gabriel River, local history, anime, insects, forensics and the early days of the Internet when people still referred to it as the "information superhighway." Her current beat includes breaking news, crimes and courts for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star News and Whittier Daily News. When not in crime reporter mode, she frequents the remaining bookstores in the San Gabriel Valley, haunts craft stores or gets dragged to eateries by a relative who is a foodie.

Join the Conversation

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com.